The sum of compensation stands at around €1.2 billion, he said confirming that the two warships will become property of France after the compensation is paid. "France and Russia do not have any more disagreements on this issue with ships," Le Drian stressed.

"I am confident that others will want to buy these helicopter carriers. Several countries have already expressed their interest," he noted.

The initial deal with Russia was cancelled because "the situation has changed since 2011, when the contract was signed," the defense minister said. "It is undesirable to create additional risks to an already existing threat," he noted, talking about the situation around the Ukrainian conflict.

If you find out orphographic mistake in the text, please select mistaken part of the text and press Ctrl + Enter.